Past decades and generations saw “Nurses as caregivers” – while that was the nurses’ role at that time, nurses today are recognized for delivering much more. The nurse of today works in collaboration with other caregivers to deliver optimal care, provide leadership to the healthcare team, and works to solve difficult challenges for patients, families, communities, and colleagues.
The nurse today is current – current with medical knowledge; business knowledge – the business of healthcare; demonstrates technical aptitude – working with complex machines and electronic communications; applies forward-thinking skills; and is – future smart. The nurse of today is an Innovator with many organizations supporting and maximizing nursing products and services. The nurse of today will be leading health organizations by 2025.
Yes, the COVID pandemic has caused many disruptions for nurses and the healthcare system —exhaustion, burnout, and death; however, nurses are devoting time to collaborate with other nurses and bring to market innovative ideas and products. SONSIEL (Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs & Leaders ) is one such organization leading the way for Nurse Innovation.
What Is Important —
A patient sees more of a nurse than any other person in the healthcare setting. As Therese S. Richmond noted in the BDO report, Unleashing Nurse-Led Innovation, "Every product and process that touches a patient goes through a nurse".
Nurses have always been innovative — it is an inherent nursing asset. Each patient brings their unique needs to their healthcare situation, and it is the nurse who must be accommodative to meet those specific needs. The nurse of today is designing, applying critical thinking, and calculating risk in an agile manner to meet these needs.
Laser focused takes us forward —
>>> It will be imperative for the Nursing profession to embrace innovation science as a necessary competency to achieve the goal of the Nurse as an Innovator (NaaI). To expedite nurse competencies, Universities and Schools of Nursing are facilitating nurse innovation through the education curriculum. Specific courses and projects are interwoven into the curriculum to facilitate the innovative mind-set. Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and Penn State University in Pennsylvania are two examples that are leading the Nurse Innovation transition.
>>> Hack-a-thons are increasing via support from major corporations, nursing associations and other committed entrepreneurs. Hackathons provide the venue for nurses to share insights and gain support to carry an idea through to a product or service, and on to implementation. Financial backing is critical to bring an item to market — during the hackathon healthcare organizations, pharmaceutical companies, medical suppliers, and other industry leaders can evaluate the idea to determine their support as well as, monetary commitment.
>>> In addition, the Federal Government has recognized the value of Nurse Innovation as published in The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NAM) Future of Nursing 2020–2030. Not only is the Nurse foremost in clinical care but, is also serving in nursing education for nursing community partnerships.
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